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Interview with Candy Goldsmith - Unbound

Only recently. My work though, has always been a reflection of my own journey and was always about seeking identity.

Do you have a personal relationship with your subjects?

All subjects belong to some online groups that I'm a part of. I interviewed each subject for an hour before I photographed them, hoping that it would influence my capture.

What were your emotions upon the realisation of your identity?

The realisation for me was not easy, because it became something more than my own identity. I had so many questions. How would my partner feel? How would my newfound identity affect hers? If I wasn't a girl but also wasn't a boy what was I? Was I "trans enough?"

In the early stages I felt like a fraud. I didn't truly understand the complexities of gender. I felt anxious about pursuing a path not knowing where it would take me and the people I'm closest to.

But it was something I had to do. I was miserable. I suffered with dysphoria and dysmorphia. I was suicidal. So it really wasn't a choice at any point because if I was to remain as I was before my transition, I dont think I would have survived it.

Do you think that finding/searching for unity within yourself was important to your work?

Absolutely. It was through this project that I realised the complexities of the gender expansive community. I found understanding in this work and I was able to truly accept where I was and where I was going.

How do you want people to respond to 'Unbound'?

I am a believer that art can be a platform for awareness and understanding. I hope that this body of work shows both the fragility and strength that exists within diversity.